40 



The Irish Naturalist. 



March 1921, 



NOTES/ 



ZOOLOGY. 



Drift on the Kerry Coast. 



Following a long period of heavy seas and broken weather, the gale on 

 the 17th January brought a large drift of Velella spirans into Valentia 

 Harbour They were left on the shore in great numbers, a deep band of 

 vivid blue. Considering the very rough seas through which they had 

 come, they were very little damaged, most of them alive, in every stage 

 from tiny specks to almost 3 inches in length (i to 70 mm.). One broken 

 lanthina and parts of two Spirula were also found, and the usual 

 accompaniment of barnacles attached to cork, cinders, etc. 



On the 27th January a small Turtle was found stranded on the same 

 beach, dead, but not long so. Dr. Scharff pronounces it a young Logger- 

 head-* ; it is now in the National Museum. 



In the Cork Examiner of 3rd February, a correspondent reports the 

 arrival in Bantry Bay of a large fleet of Portuguese Men-o war, 

 greatly to the amazement of sailors, who were accustomed to see them 

 in warm southern seas and not in these colder waters. 



Valentia Island. M, J. Delap. 



Recent Records of Irish Birds. 



An adult male Avocet {Recurvirostra avosetta) and an immature male 

 Glossy Ibis [Plegadis f. falcinellus) are recorded by Mr. C. J. Carroll [British 

 Birds, 1921, p. 188) as having been shot in Co. Wexford in the autumn of 

 191 7. A female Goosander [Mergus m. merganser) observed by G*. R. 

 Humphreys on Kylemore Middle Lake in December, 1919 {ih., 1920, p. 275), 

 is apparently the first known occurrence of this species in Connemara ; 

 and a Carolina Crake {Porzana Carolina) reported by Mr. Clifford D. Borrer 

 [ib., 298) as taken on board H.M.S. Dragon, about 100 miles off the west 

 coast of Ireland early in 1920, is of interest in connection with the occur- 

 rence of a bird of the same species at Slyne Head lighthouse on April i ith, 

 recorded by Prof. Patten in this Journal (vol. xxix., p. 59). Mr. R. F. 

 Ruttledge, in a series of notes from various parts of Ireland [British Birds, 

 1920, p. 142), mentions the extension of the range of the Stock-Dove 

 {Columba oenas) to Co. Galway ; and the breeding of the Manx Shearwater 

 [Puffinus p. puffinus), on Inishbofin is reported by Mr. H. B. Cott [ib., 1921, 

 p. 188). 



1 See Dr. Scharff's article, p. 29 of this number. 



